Lineman protector device



R. T. FAROUGH ETAL 3,

LINEMAN PROTECTOR DEVICE May 19, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Jan. 22, 1962 INVENTORY 7. Faraug/v arl U. Ecru/wk F1 E1. E1.

FPona/d Y 1964 R. 'r. FAROUGH ETAL 84 LINEMAN PROTECTOR DEVICE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan' 22, 1962 Rona/d TFarOQQ/I BY (J- ECVWICK JLJU M tion.

United States Patent Ofifice 3,133,984 Patented May 19, 1964 This invention relates to a protective device for temporary installation over an electrical conductor and more particularly to interconnecting guards or protectors which protect a lineman from contact with charged electrical wires. 7

Protective devices such as these comprise a combination of guards and protectors which are designed to fit over various parts of electric power lines. The essential features of such a combination include ease of installa- Since the lineman is usually working in a rather precarious position, it is important that the protective devices can be easily installed over the electrical conductor and easily coupled together to provide a substantially unitary protector. The coupling relationship must be a secure one precluding leakage of electricity at the point of connection. Further, such a combination must be constructed so that it can be easily dismantled by the lineman when it is no longer needed. These seemingly opposing requirements make it difficult to produce a satisfactory protective combination.

An object of the present invention is to provide a combination of protective devices for electrical conductors which may be easily and quickly installed and removed.

Another object of the present invention is to produce a hose protective device for such a combination which may be easily installed over a highly charged wire by providing such a hose with a pair of longitudinally extending ribbed gripping ridges.

Still another object is to produce a combination of protective devices which can be easily and securely coupled by providing a connector element provided with means for securely gripping other elements of the combination. 7

Yet another object of the present invention is to produce a line hose which can be installed either manually or with a specially designed tool and which is provided with serrations at one end to facilitate flexing the hose to start it over the electrical wire it is to cover.

Yet a further object is to produce protective devices which provide equal protection from electrical leakage on all parts of their periphery by providing an installing slit which is fashioned to produce overlapping portions.

Still further objects and advantages will readily occur to those skilled in the art to which the invention pertains upon reference'to the following description and the accompanying drawings in which like reference characters refer to like parts throughout the several views and in which- FIG. 1 is an elevational side view of a connector member of the present invention. t

FIG. 2 is an elevational top view of the connector member of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is an end view of the connector member taken substantially at line 3-3 of FIG. 1 and with the connected line hose in cross-section.

FIG. 4 is an end view of the connector member taken substantially at line 4-4 of FIG. 1. r I

FIG. 5 is a cross sectional View of the connector memberof the present invention taken substantially at line 5-5 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 6 is a cross sectional view of the connector mem-,

ber taken substantially at line 6-6 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 7 is an elevational side view of a line hose member of the present invention.

minate at ends 24'.

FIG. 8 is a cross sectional view of the hose member of the present invention taken substantially at line 8-8 of FIG. 7.

FIG. 9 is a cross sectional view taken substantially at line 9-9 of FIG. 7.

FIG. 10 is a side elevational view illustrating the connection of several protector members of the present invention.

FIG. 11 is a cross sectional view taken substantially at line 11-11 of FIG. 10.

FIG. 12 is a side elevational view illustrating the connection of two line hose members of the present inven- ,tion.

FIG. 13 is a perspective view illustrating the removal of the line hose member by using a tool.

FIG. 14 is a perspective view illustrating manual installation of the connector member of the present invention, and

FIG. 15 illustrates in cross-section a stacked arrangement of the line hoses of the present invention.

Referring now to the drawings for a more detailed description of the present inventiomFIGS. 1-6 illustrate a preferred connector member 10 as comprising a substantially cylindrical body portion 11 provided with a reduced portion 12 at one end. The body portion 11 and the reduced portion 12 are each preferably provided with a pair of spaced longitudinally extending gripping ridges 13 and 14 respectively. The gripping ridges 13 are each provided with a ribbed surface 15 to facilitate easy handling and are spaced sufiiciently, as seen in FIG. 4, to permit the fingers to be easily inserted between them for manipulation as shown in FIG. 14.

The reduced portion 12 is adapted to receive the end of a tubular line hose member 16 which extends into a receiving chamber 17 defined in the connector member 10 by an annular inner surface 18 and abuts against an annular stop bead 19 provided in the inner surface 18 of the body portion 11. The line hose member 16 is provided with a pair of spaced longitudinally extending gripping ridges 20 similar in construction and complementary to the gripping ridges 14 and similarly provided with ribbed surfaces 21. The line hose member 16 may be secured to the connector member 10 by any convenient means such as vulcanizing or bymolding the connector member. 10 directly onto the end of the hose 16.

An exterior surface 22 of the body portion 11 of the connector member 10 is provided with a plurality of longitudinally spaced, raised arcuate ribs 23 which ter- The inner surface 18 of the body portion 11 is provided with a plurality of arcuately disposed and closely adjacent radial serrations 25 extending over most of the inner surface 18. A substantially rectangular recess 26 is provided in the inner surface 18 in a position substantially opposite that of the spaced gripping ridges 13. To allowinstallation of the connector member 10 over an electrical wire 27 as shown in FIG. 14 an L-shaped longitudinally extending slit 28 is provided in the body portion 11 between the gripping ridges 13. It will be noted that the overlapping portions produced by such a slit provides effective protection against electrical leakage while at the same time permits ease in installation.

FIGS. 7-9 illustrate the line hose member 16 as further comprising an end portion 29 opposite the end adapted for connection with the reducedportion 12 of the connector member 10. The portion 29 is providedwith a plurality of arcuatelyextending and inwardly radially cut serrations '30 terminating closely adjacent the gripping ridges 20. The tubular line hose 16 may be of any convenient length and is provided with a smooth interior surface 31 so that it may be easily moved along a wire 3 while installing. A slit 32, substantially S-shaped in cross section, extends the full length of the line hose member 16 beginning on a line 33 disposed closely adjacent one of the gripping ridges 20 as shown, following the curvature of the line hose member 16 for a portion as can best be seen in FIGS. 8 and 9 and then cutting the interior surface 31. In this way a hose line of uniform thickness is provided which may be easily installed over 'an electric wire while at the same time any possibility of leakage of electricity is eliminated by the uniquely shaped slit 32. The serrations 30, aside from providing a means for connecting two line hose members together which will be described more fully below, also make possible the construction of the hose from thicker material than heretofore used. To use thicker material is desirable since dielectric strength and Wear resistance can be increased in this way. The problem is that thicker material increases the difficulty of installation. The serrations 30 produce a more flexible end portion 29 which may be used to start the hose line member 16 over a wire.

Once started, installation over the entire wire follows rather easily.

FIGS. 10 and 11 illustrate the connection of the preferred line hose member 16 with a pig member 34 by use of the connector member 10. The pig member 34 preferably comprises a split tubular body portion 35 tapered at one end to an eccentrically located tube 36 provided with a longitudinal slit 37 and of such a diameter as to fit snugly within the receiving chamber 17 of the connector member 10. Opposite the slit 37 as can best be seen in FIG. 11 is a rectangular projection 38 provided with a ribbed surface 39. The connection is made secure by the registry of the rectangular projection 38 within 'the recess 26. Yet the assembly may be easily dismantled by spreading the connector member 10 using the gripping ridges 20. If the projection 38 dislodges accidentally from the recess 26 the ribbed surface 39 acting with the serrations 25 prevents the connector member 10 and the pig member 34 from separating even if the pig member 34 is rotated, since the serrations 25 have a long arcuate length.

FIG. 12 illustrates the connection of a pair of line hose members 16 of the present invention utilizing the connector member 10. The serrated end 29 of the line hose member 16 is inserted into the receiving chamber 17 of the connector member 10 carried at one end of another line hose member 16. Separation is prevented by the serrations 25 provided in the surface 18 coacting with the serrations 30 provided on the line hose member 16.

FIGS. 13 and 14 illustrate methods of installing the protector devices of the present invention. FIG. 13 shows a tool 40 which may be used to install or remove the line hose member 16 by separating the longitudinal ridges 20 thus opening the slit 32. This same tool 40 may be used with the connector member 10 or both members may be installed or removed manually as illustrated in FIG. 14. The gripping ridge 13 of the connector member 10 may be gripped by the thumbs and spread apart to open the slit 28. The longitudinal ribs 15 provide an improved gripping surface for a tool or the fingers. Once the connector 10 or hose 16 has been started on the electrical wire 27 downward pressure at intervals along the length of the protector will snap it over the wire 27.

It is apparent from the foregoing that the present invention produces a combination of protective devices which may be easily installed and removed but which at the same time provide a secure connection while in use. Further, the particular construction permits the use of thicker material without sacrificing ease of handling. It should be noted that use of the gripping ridges 13, 14 and 20 in addition to the advantages described above permits hose line members to be easily stored and handled by reason of the fact that these ridges permit ease in bundling and stacking since in cross-section the hose line members are approximately U-shaped in overall con figuration and will not roll readily.

FIG. 15 illustrates a plurality of stacked line hose members 16 in cross-section.

The protector devices of the present invention are preferably constructed of a resilient insulating material having suflicient flexibility to enable the slits to be separated for installation and removal. A suitable rubber or artificial rubber composition has been found to be satisfactory.

While only one embodiment of the present invention has been described it is apparent from the foregoing description that many changes and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the appended claims.

We claim:

1. A lineman protector device for insulating a charged electrical conductor comprising (a) a first resilient tubular member constructed of electrical insulating material and having a longitudinal slit and a longitudinally extending ridge portion positioned on each side of said slit whereby said slit may be opened to receive the electrical conductor by separating said ridge portions,

(b) said first tubular member being provided with an enlarged end portion forming an enlarged interior annular surface,

(0) said interior surface being provided with a recess,

(01) said recess being substantially rectangular in section,

(e) a second resilient tubular member constructed of electrical insulating material and adapted for insertion into said enlarged end portion of said first tubular member,

(f) said second tubular member being provided with a substantially rectangular projection adapted to seat in said recess whereby when said projection is seated in said recess relative axial separation between said members is resisted and said tubular members are connected one to the other,

(g) said interior surface of said first tubular member being provided with a plurality of arcuately extending serrations,

(h) said serrations extending in planes which are nor-- mal to the longitudinal axis of said first tubular member, and

(i) said projection being provided with a plurality of ribs, said ribs extending in planes normal to the longitudinal axis of said second tubular member to engage said serrations when said projection is dislodged from said recess whereby to resist accidental separation of said tubular members.

2. The device as defined in claim 1 and in which each of said ridges is provided with a longitudinally extending ribbed surface, one of said ribbed surfaces facing the other whereby said ridges may be readily grasped for opening said slit.

3. The device as defined in claim 1 and in which the end of said first tubular member opposite said enlarged end portion is provided with a plurality of radially inwardly extending grooves whereby the flexibility of said end is increased to facilitate initial positioning of said first tubular member over said electrical conductor.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,867,430 Wisner July 12, 1932 2,361,215 Lamberger et al Oct. 24, 1944 2,891,101 Koliss June 16, 1959 2,927,146 Salisbury Mar. 1, 1960 3,042,736 Salisbury July 3, 1962 

1. A LINEMAN PROTECTOR DEVICE FOR INSULATING A CHARGED ELECTRICAL CONDUCTOR COMPRISING (A) A FIRST RESILIENT TUBULAR MEMBER CONSTRUCTED OF ELECTRICAL INSULATING MATERIAL AND HAVING A LONGITUDINAL SLIT AND A LONGITUDINALLY EXTENDING RIDGE PORTION POSITIONED ON EACH SIDE OF SAID SLIT WHEREBY SAID SLIT MAY BE OPENED TO RECEIVE THE ELECTRICAL CONDUCTOR BY SEPARATING SAID RIDGE PORTIONS, (B) SAID FIRST TUBULAR MEMBER BEING PROVIDED WITH AN ENLARGED END PORTION FORMING AN ENLARGED INTERIOR ANNULAR SURFACE, (C) SAID INTERIOR SURFACE BEING PROVIDED WITH A RECESS, (D) SAID RECESS BEING SUBSTANTIALLY RECTANGULAR IN SECTION, (E) A SECOND RESILIENT TUBULAR MEMBER CONSTRUCTED OF ELECTRICAL INSULATING MATERIAL AND ADAPTED FOR INSERTION INTO SAID ENLARGED END PORTION OF SAID FIRST TUBULAR MEMBER, (F) SAID SECOND TUBULAR MEMBER BEING PROVIDED WITH A SUBSTANTIALLY RECTANGULAR PROJECTION ADAPTED TO SEAT IN SAID RECESS WHEREBY WHEN SAID PROJECTION IS SEATED IN SAID RECESS RELATIVE AXIAL SEPARATION BETWEEN SAID MEMBERS IS RESISTED AND SAID TUBULAR MEMBERS ARE CONNECTED ONE TO THE OTHER, (G) SAID INTERIOR SURFACE OF SAID FIRST TUBULAR MEMBER BEING PROVIDED WITH A PLURALITY OF ARCUATELY EXTENDING SERRATIONS, (H) SAID SERRATIONS EXTENDING IN PLANES WHICH ARE NORMAL TO THE LONGITUDINAL AXIS OF SAID FIRST TUBULAR MEMBER, AND (I) SAID PROJECTION BEING PROVIDED WITH A PLURALITY OF RIBS, SAID RIBS EXTENDING IN PLANES NORMAL TO THE LONGITUDINAL AXIS OF SAID SECOND TUBULAR MEMBER TO ENGAGE SAID SERRATIONS WHEN SAID PROJECTION IS DISLODGED FROM SAID RECESS WHEREBY TO RESIST ACCIDENTAL SEPARATION OF SAID TUBULAR MEMBERS. 